Earliest meeting: Friday 23rd September 1859
Final meeting: Wednesday 6th October 1869
The large West Sussex seaside town of Worthing, situated on the South Downs some 16 kilometres west of Brighton, had its own very popular racecourse in the mid-1800s, with racing first taking place in 1859. That inaugural meeting was staged on Friday 23rd September 1859 on the sands at Worthing. For the next two years meetings were held each Autumn on the Sands, although there was disquiet at the meeting on Monday 26th August 1861 because of the large number of objections and disqualifications. It was hoped that a new course could be found 3 miles from Worthing for the 1862 meeting, but in the end the meeting on Monday 22nd September 1862 remained on the Sands, with the feature Worthing Stakes won by Mr Cameron’s Little Dick beating The Strike. In 1863 the town got its new course on Findon Downs at Salvington when the meeting was held on Thursday 24th September. It opened with victory for Miss Nightingale in the Trial Stakes, while the Salvington Stakes was won by Mr G Butt’s Retainer. The feature Worthing Cup went to Mr Elphick’s Lurline, while the prestigious Worthing Handicap Stakes was won by Margery. There was a gap of five years before the final meeting took place on Wednesday 6th October 1869 at a new course on Herne Estate. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord St Vincent, Earl of Westmorland, Mr Gravett Hobgen |
| Principal Races |
Worthing Cup, Worthing Handicap Stakes, Salvington Stakes |
Thursday 24th September 1863
Worthing Handicap Stakes over 1 mile
1. Margery, 4 year old owned by Mr Marsh
2. Real Jam, bay filly owned by Mr T Hughes
3. Reserve, 3 year old owned by Mr T Hughes |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 6th October 1869. |
| Course today |
Initially on the Sands, and then on Findon Downs before a final meeting on the Herne Estate. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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